Hunting waterfowl, typically ducks, geese, or swans, using decoys has been practiced for centuries. Waterfowl are hunted for sport, food, and to acquire feathers and down. A common waterfowl hunting tactic is to remain in a stationary position hidden from view by a hunting blind. A hunter uses different methods to attract waterfowl to its location, such as using an attracting call, decoy, or a combination of the two.
Decoys shaped as lifelike replicas of waterfowl are placed in a target area to attract prey. For example, a hunter will place one or more decoys having the likeness of a duck or other waterfowl in a body of water, allowing the decoy(s) to float on the surface of the water where they may be seen by prey. The hunter may then wait nearby in hiding, such as behind a blind, hoping that the decoys will attract waterfowl to the target area.
Decoys are usually made of wood or plastic and are intricately painted to resemble various waterfowl. Decoys are typically designed to float in the water, though they may be attached to a post placed in the ground or tethered in some form to allow them to drift in a general area while permitting for their later retrieval.